Jambs e



(HoModeL) J. 3.. BROWN. 7

Drop Light Gasalier.

No. 232,593. Patented Sept. 28, I880.

NPETERS, PHOTO'LITHOGRAFNER, WAHXNGT0N B C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. BROWN, OF WILLIAMSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE PANOOAST, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

DROP-LIGHT GASALIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,593, datedSeptember 28, 1880.

Application filed May 1, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. BROWN, of Williamsburg, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Drop-Light Gasaliers,

(Case 13,) of which the following is a full,

, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, the same nothaving been, tomy knowledge, heretofore patented in any foreign country.

My invention has relation to that class of illuminating apparatuswherein a drop-light or vertically-adjustable section is employed,ordinarily denominated drop-light gasaliers or chandeliers; and theinvention has for its object the provision of simple, cheap, andeffective means for holding the slidin gsection, which carries thedrop-light, in any required position and against any ordinary weight offixtures or accessories likely to be applied to the said section, at thesame time automatically adj ustable to correspond with such appliedweight, and opposing no appreciable extra resistance 2 5 to the upwardmovement of the extensible section, to accomplish which my improvementsinvolve the use of an elastic shell or casing in connection with theclamping mechanism and certain new and useful combinations or relativearrangements of parts and peculiarities of construction, all of whichwill be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an axial sec- 3 5 tion and partialelevation of so much of a chandelier or gasalier as is necessary toillustrate the application of my improvements thereto, the working partsbeing shown as assembled for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view,

0 showing the casing, the cap, and the clamping mechanism detached fromeach other, but upon the sliding pipe, in the order in which they shouldbe assembled. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hinged clamping-blocksas they appear when removed from the sliding pipe.

Like letters of reference wherever they occur indicate correspondingparts in all the figures.

A is the main or stationary pipe, within (N0 model.)

which pipe B (the support for the drop-light) is intended to move. 0 Gare the clampingblocks, made to press against the sliding pipe and tocreate the necessary friction for holding said pipe in any position towhich it may be adjusted, sustaining the weight of the droplight andwhatever accessories or attachments may be connected therewith. Theseblocks are hinged together, as shown at h It, so as to movesimultaneously either to clamp pipe B or to release it, and the slidingpipe moves up and down between them without interference withthehinges.Theclamping-blocksareeach faced with a strip of felting, a, securedthereon by being beaten down over projections bbupon the backs of theblocks, as plainly shown, and for purposes and in manner as fully setforth in a separate application for patent of even date herewith. Theinner faces of the blocks are made to conform to the size and shape ofthe sliding pipe, which may be of any approved pattern, and the fillingproduces the required friction without roughness, avoiding alltendencies to irregularities of motion in the sliding pipe and readilyreleasing said pipe on the instant the drop-lightis pushed upwardly.Upon the back of each block is a projection,

61, the outer end of which is inclined to correspond with theinclination of the conical cas ing E, and intended to furnish a bearingof limited surface against the interior of said casing. That the slidingpipe may ride smoothly through the opening in the bottom of the easing,the length of these projections d should be adjusted so as not to crowdsaid pipe either to one side or the other.

The clampingblocks being in place and the conical casing held stationaryupon the outer or main pipe, A, it is plain that any downward strainupon pipe B will tend to draw the blocks down with it, and by reason ofthe inclination given the interior of the casing the farther the blocksare depressed in it the closer will they hug the sliding pipe and themore fric tion will they produce thereon. Any tend- 5 ency to elevatethe sliding pipe will instantly relieve the pressure of the blocks, andall that remains to be overcome will be the weight of the drop-light andits appendages.

The casing E is held in place by being at tached to cap-plate g in someconvenient manner, as by the screws, as at t, and the cap-plate is madeto screw upon the stationary pipe or is connected therewith in any ofthe wellknown ways.

The conical casing for the clamping mechanism is made of thin metal, soas to have acertain degree of elasticity and allow the blocks to yieldto an extent necessary to secure a yielding pressure against the slidingpipe, and thus avoid thepermanent wedging of the clamping-blocks andobviate that rigid holding which is commonly noticeable in many forms ofclamps. The elastic bearing of the casing renders the release of theblocks more ready and certain upon any upward tendency of pipe B, sinceit tends always to throw the blocks upwardly through the medium of theprojections d, havinginclined bearing-surfaces, and into a position torelieve the pressure.

The free action of the elastic casing would .be somewhat imperfect ifitsbearing upon the cap-plate should be made continuous and rigid, and forthis reason I cut away the attachingrim of the capplate over the regionof that portion of the casin g against which projections 61 d are madeto bear, leaving the sections 0 0, which form convenient seats for theattachingscrews t. This construction leaves the casing free to expand inthe direct-ion desired, and enables me to utilize the elasticity of theentire casing. Equivalent results would follow it the casing were maderigid and the projections rl elastic; but- I have shown one form ofelastic lever for the clamping-blocks in my aforesaid separateapplication of even date herewith, and do not desire to be understood asembracing such features herein.

The device, constructed and arranged substantially in accordance withthe foregoing description, contains butfew parts, is easily and cheaplymade, not liable to get out of order, and is found to embody all thecharacteristics essential to the successful operation of an ap plianceof the class to which it belongs.

Instead of a pipe, B, a solid rod may be employed when required tosupport lights other than those consuming gas, and when used inconnection with gas -chandeliers the sliding pipe is of course to bepacked after any of the ordinary customs.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of'the sliding pipe or rod carrying a drop light, theclamping blocks, hinged together at their lower ends and provided withprojecting lugs having inclined faces, and the conical shell or casing,attached to the stationary pipe and adapted to force the hinged blockstogether by friction against the inner inclined face of said shell,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a drop-light chandelier or gasalier of the character hereinspecified, the combination, with the stationary pipe, of an elasticshell or casing secured thereon and inclosin g the clamping mechanism,said shellor casing being made conical and producing a yieldingfrictional bearing for the movable clamping-blocks, substantially asshown and described.

3. The herein-described conical elastic casing for the clampingmechanism, the same bein g provided with cap-plate g, cut away, asexplained, so as to leave the rim of the casing free to yield, said capserving to unite the easing with the stationary pipe, substantially asshown and described.

4. In a chandelier or gasalier of the charactcr herein set forth, thecombination of the stationary pipe, the hinged clamping-blocks facedwith felting and having bearing-lugs with inclined faces, the elasticconical casing covering the clamping mechanism, the sliding pipe orrod,and the cap-plate, cutaway as explained, the whole being constructed andarranged to operate substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. BROWN. Witnesses WORTH OSGOOD, ARTHUR M. PIERCE.

